Scalp massaging and hair brushing device



Dec. 21, 1965 F. J. ORIFICI SCALP MASSAGING AND HAIR BRUSHING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 51, 1965 INVENTOR. FRANK J. OR I FICl JWIM wail/v Dec. 21, 1965 F. J. ORlFlCl 3,2

SCALP MASSAGING AND HAIR BRUSHING DEVICE Filed May 31, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ha /la 25 4 v a Z Q f INVENTOR Y /FRANK J.ORIF|C\ BY United States Patent 3,224,438 SCALP MASSAGING AND HAIR BRUSHING DEVICE Frank J. Orifici, 8471 SW. 33rd Terrace, Miami, Fla. Filed May 31, 1963, Ser. No. 284,550 4 Claims. (Cl. 12846) This invention relates to a therapeutic device and is more particularly directed to a device for massaging ones scalp and brushing the hair simultaneously.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a therapeutic device which massages a persons scalp and brushes the hair while the person is reclined.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for massaging ones scalp which is provided with a resilient head band which engages the head about the temple and forehead.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a head massaging device which fits about a persons head and engages the scalp as the device vibrates in both a vertical and horizontal direction with the person in a reclined position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a head massaging and hair brushing device which is simple in construction and operation and most effective to massage a persons head and brush his hair while the person is reclining and his neck supported on a neck rest.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a head massaging and hair brushing device constructed in accordance with my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view.

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevational view.

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals are used to designate similar parts throughout the several view-s, the numeral 14 refers to my head massaging and hair brushing device consisting of a platform 11 and an upright support member 12 secured to the rear edge thereof. Mounted on the platform 11 in front of the upright support member 12 is a pair of brackets 13 supporting a pair of brushes 14 which are rotatably mounted thereon by shafts 15 whose end portions are journalled on the brackets 13, At one side, the shafts 15 extend beyond the support 13 to receive pulleys 16. The pulleys 16 rotate in unison by means of an endless belt 17 which engages the pulleys 16. Alongside the rear pulley 16 is a further pulley 18 mounted on the rear shaft 15. The pulley 18 is powered by an electric motor 20 mounted on the platform 11. The motor shaft 21 is provided with a pair of pulleys 22, 23, the pulley 23 conveying rotary power to the hair brushes 14 by means of an endless belt 24 which engages the pulley 18. Also mounted on the platform 11 before the upright support member 12 is a pair of neck rest cushion supports 25 which support the neck rest cushions 26 in spaced relation. The cushions 26 support the neck of a person in a reclining position, while the persons head is held by a head massaging member 27 and the brushes 14 simultaneously brush his hair.

' Patented Dec. 21, 1965 The head massaging member 27 consists of an approximately hollow semi-spherical or cup shaped element 28 rotatably mounted at its axis to a shaft 29 at whose inner end there is a threaded bore 30. A coil spring 19* which secures the cup shaped member 28 to the upright support 12 prevents the former from rotating. On the inner periphery of the head massaging member 28 is a corrigated resilient band 9 which engages the forehead and temple of the person being massaged. At the lower portion thereof there is a sponge rubber head rest 8. A threaded bolt 31 is received by the bore 30 and spans an eccentric 32 consistingof a support member 33 secured off center to a rotatable shaft 34. The bolt 31 is provided with a wing thumb member 35 at one end for manual adjustment of the eccentric 32 while the other end isprovided with a nut 36 to secure the bolt 31 against dislodgment from the eccentric 32. The shaft 34 isrotatably mounted in a bushing 37 which is secured to upright support member 12. A washer 38 and a rubber O-ring 39 are placed on each side of the bushing 37 on the shaft 34 to permit the shaft 34 to vibrate as is explained in detail hereinafter.

Secured to the shaft 34 for rotational movement therewith is a pulley 40. Adjacent thereto on the shaft 34 is a non-rotating member 41 that is secured against rotation by a bracket 42 that secures the member 41 to the upright support 12 as shown best by FIGURE 1. At the end of the shaft 34 is a nut 43.

A bracket 44 secured at one end to the non-rotating member 41 supports a shaft 45 at its other end upon which a pulley 46 is rotatably mounted. On the side wall of the pulley 46 adjacent to its periphery there is secured a weighted member 47 that causes vibratory motion of the head engaging member 27 as is explained in detail here inafter.

Means are provided to convey the motor power 20 to the head massaging member 27 comprising an endless belt 48 engaging the motor shaft pulley 22. The belt 48 extends over idler pulleys 49 which are mounted on a bracket 50 secured to the upright support member 12. The endless belt 48 extends -over a terminal pulley 51 that is mounted on a bracket 52 secured to the support member 12. A shaft 53 conveys the rotary motion of the pulley 51 to a pair of pulleys 54 and 55 mounted at the other end of the shaft 52. i

The pulley 55 is connected to rotate the pulley 40 by means of an endless belt 56 which rides over an idler pulley 57 mounted on the support member 12. The second pulley 54 is connected to the eccentrically weighted pulley 46 by means of an endless belt 57 which extends over idler pulleys 59 mounted on a shaft 60 that is secured to the upright support member 12.

The motor 20 is connected to a rheostat 61 to control the speed of the motor 20 which in turn controls the intensity of the massaging action of the device 10.

When a person desires to have his scalp and head massaged, he assumes a reclining position and places his neck on the head rest pads 26 and his head is placed in the cup shaped massaging :member 27. The resilient head band 9 will engage his scalp at his forehead and temple as the base of his head rests on the foam rubber head rest 8. Now When the electric cord 62 is plugged into a source of electricity (not shown) and the rheostat actuated to the desired setting, the motor shaft 21 of the motor 20 will commence rotating. The pulley 22 will cause the endless lbelts 24 and 48 to convey the rotor motion to the brushes 14 and to the pulleys 40, 46 respectively.

The rotating brushes 14 will 'brush the hair at the base of the head or scalp while the rotating pulleys 40, 46 will generate vibratory movements and convey them to the head massaging member 28.

The rotating pulley '40 will cause the shaft 34 to rotate as well as the eccentric 32 which now effects a vertical oscillating movement of the head massaging member 28. The head member 27 cannot rotate due to the spring 19.

The amount of 'vibratory motion is determined by the position of the shaft 29 of the head member 27 with relation to the shaft 34. By turning the thumb screw 35, this position can be readily changed. The further apart the axis of the shaft 29 is from that of the shaft 34 the greater the vertical vibratory action is effected by the head member 27 and transmitted to the scalp. At the same time there is a horizontal vibratory motion effected on the head member 27. This is caused by the rotating pulley 46 that carries the eccentrically positioned counter Weights 47 that compels the shaft 34 to slide back and forth against both of the rubber O-rings 39. This horizontal vibratory action causes the head member to move a relatively short distance toward and away from the persons scalp and the head band 9 to alternately be tight and then loose against the persons scalp. The combined viJbratory actions of the head member 27 as the head band grips the persons scalp provides a massaging of the scalp in a somewhat circular motion thereby stimulating the scalp while the hair-is being brushed. For female users of my device 10, the brushes 14 may be disconnected if desired.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A device for massaging a persons scalp comprising a platform, an upright support member mounted on said platform, scalp engaging means, a bushing mounted on said upright support member, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bushing, manually adjustable eccentric means connecting said scalp engaging means and said shaft whereby upon rotational movement of said shaft said scalp engaging means will oscillate transversely of the axis of said shaft, means securing said scalp engaging means and said support member to prevent rotational movement of said scalp engaging means, resilient O-rings mounted on said shaft adjacent each side of said bushing to permit axial movement of said shaft, a pulley mounted on said shaft for rotational movement with said shaft, support means mounted on said shaft, means securing said support means against rotational movement, a bracket'secured to said support means and extending stantially parallel to said shaft, a second pulley mounted on said support, said second pulley having an axis substantially at right angles to said shaft, a counter weight mounted in proximity of the periphery of said second pulley, a motor, pulley and belt means connecting said motor, with said first and second pulleys whereby upon operation of said motor said scalp engaging means will oscillate along the axis of said shaft and along substantially right angle thereto to massage a persons scalp.

2. The structure as recited by claim 1 wherein said scalp engaging means comprises a substantially semispherical member and a resilient corrugated member mounted on the inner peripheral portion of said member for engaging ones forehead and temple.

3. A device for massaging a persons scalp and brushing the hair comprising a platform, an upright support member mounted on said platform, a pair of spaced apart neck rest pads mounted on said platform, a plurality of brushes rotatably mounted between said neck 'rest pads, scalp engaging means, a bushing mounted on said upright support member, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bushing, manually adjustable eccentric means connecting said scalp engaging means and said shaft whereby upon rotational movement of said shaft said scalp engaging means will oscillate transversely of the axis of said shaft, means securing said scalp engaging means and said support member to prevent rotational movement of said scalp engaging means, resilient O-rings mounted on said shaft adjacent each side of said bushing to permit axial movement of said shaft, a pulley mounted on said shaft for rotational movement with said shaft, support means mounted on said shaft, means securing said support means against rotational movement, a bracket secured to'said support means and extending substantially parallel to said shaft, a second pulley mounted on said support, said second pulley having an axis substantially at right angles to said shaft, a counter weight mounted in proximity of the periphery of said second pulley,

a motor, pulley and belt means connecting said motor within said first and second pulleys and said brushes whereby upon operation of said motor said scalp engaging means will oscillate along the axis of said shaft and along substantially right angle thereto massage a persons scalp and brush his hair substantially simultaneously.

4. The structure as recited by claim 3 wherein said scalp engaging means comprises a substantially semispherical member and a resilient corrugated member mounted on the inner peripheral portion of said member for engaging ones forehead and temple.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 975,437 11/1910 Kunkel 12846 1,997,059 4/1935 Hassler l28'46 2,771,875 11/1956 Cason.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR MASSAGING A PERSON''S SCALP COMPRISING A PLATFORM, AN UPRIGHT SUPPORT MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID PLATFORM, SCALP ENGAGING MEANS, A BUSHING MOUNTED ON SAID UPRIGHT SUPPORT MEMBER, A SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID BUSHING, MANUALLY ADJUSTABLE ECCENTRIC MEANS CONNECTING SAID SCALP ENGAGING MEANS AND SAID SHAFT WHEREBY UPON ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SHAFT SAID SCALP ENGAGING MEANS WILL OSCILLATE TRANSVERSELY OF THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT, MEANS SECURING SAID SCALP ENGAGING MEANS AND SAID SUPPORT MEMBER TO PREVENT ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT ON SAIE SCALP ENGAGING MEANS, RESILIENT O-RINGS MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT ADJACENT EACH SIDE OF SAID BUSHING TO PERMIT AXIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SHAFT, A PULLEY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT WITH SAID SHAFT, SUPPORT MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT, MEANS 